Not Far to Look
by Chromaticjewel
Summary: Dawn Spencer's first year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Longer summary inside.


Chapter 1  
  
She ran through the alley, her fair blonde hair trailing behind, trying to elude the six-cloaked figures following her. The alley she had turned into was a dead end. The figures encircled her, their leader taking out a long stick, much like a wand, and uttering the words Petrificus Totalus. The girl froze and fell to the ground, but was still conscious.  
  
"How many more times are you going to run away, Dawn?" the leader asked, pulling the hood of his cloak down to reveal a the kind face of a man who looked to be around sixty. "I won't be able to catch you next time." Normally, Arthur Weasley shouldn't have been able to catch an eleven-year- old in the first place. But Arthur Weasley wasn't normal.  
  
The other five figures picked up the girl and, like magic, disappeared. They reappeared in front of a sign that read The Parvulus Orphanage. They took the girl inside and to the main office, located directly to the left of the front entrance. One of the group closed the door and muttered something with his wand pointed at it, while the other four took the full body bind off the girl.  
  
"Did you miss us?" a different figure asked he and his comrades. Dawn, the girl, knew all of these men well, having seen them every week for about a year. After all, it was her fault they had to open a new department at the Ministry of Magic, the Department for the Control of Reckless Underage Witches and Wizards, in the first place.  
  
"It's great to see you, Seth. How was your date with Colleen?"  
  
"Great, she liked that idea you had about the flowers a lot. You know-"  
  
"Spencer, if you wouldn't mind, I have a family I need to get home to, so let's start the questioning now so we can finish before my daughter has to walk to her primary school." Emery Craig, forever the bitter one, said sternly. I would hate to be his daughter, Dawn thought, before correcting herself. No, I wouldn't. I would love to be anybody's daughter.  
  
"He has a point," Jerome Truman offered. "So, why'd you run away this time?" he asked the girl in front of him. She shrugged.  
  
"New owner?"  
  
"We both know that's not it. You haven't even met the new owner yet. Why don't you tell us the real reason?"  
  
"Because I hate it here. Is that a good enough reason?"  
  
"No, not really. Why exactly do you hate it here?"  
  
"Too many people."  
  
"There are only twenty children here besides you, how can that possibly be too many people?"  
  
"It just is."  
  
"No it's not. Please tell us."  
  
"I've told you before, but you didn't believe me."  
  
"What, that you want to find your family? How could you possibly do that when there is no record of you ever even having parents? I think the only people who could actually know who your parents are your parents."  
  
"It was worth a try, anyway. Besides, it's not fair," Dawn said, looking down. "Everyone else here knows who their parents are, how noble they fought in the war, their grandparents' names. They probably even know the name of their father's first owl. And what do I know? Nothing. Absolutely nothing." With that, she stormed out of the room, leaving a group of baffled ministry officials.  
  
Dawn Spencer had never shown any emotion but anger and joy to anybody. She never cried, never played Quittich, or socialized with the other orphans. She never did anything but read. Of course, she was very intelligent for an eleven-year-old, nobody could ever deny that, but she was always cold and separated from society. In fact, the only person she spoke civilly to was Seth Spencer, her adoptive brother of about one day. His parents had tired of her attitude in less than twenty-four hours.  
  
Of course, Dawn wasn't always like that. She sometimes wished she could be kind and make friends, but it was too late for that at the orphanage, as the other kids had learned fast to stay clear of her. But soon, Dawn thought as she opened the door to her bedroom, I'll be at Hogwarts, where I can start over. That's right, in only a fortnight, Dawn would be attending the most prestigious school of witchcraft and wizardry in the world.  
  
British Witches and Wizards started Hogwarts around the age of eleven, and spent the next seven years of their lives there, studding magic, relationships, and themselves. It was where life-long friendships were made and enemies discovered. Every magical child in Britain, whether they be muggleborn or not, never regretted the years they spent training for life in wizarding society.  
  
Like the other three eleven-year-olds at parvulus, in tow weeks Dawn would walk to Kings Cross Station and board the Hogwarts Express, the steam engine that would take them to their new school. Unlike their piers, though, Dawn, Miriam and Lee would be staying at Hogwarts during all their holidays, as parvulus was an orphanage only for children who had not yet started school. And because the former headmaster of Hogwarts was co- founder of the orphanage for war children, they decided that Hogwarts would be the best place for parentless teenagers to live.  
  
Looking around her rather plain room, Dawn sighed. They were allowed to decorate as they pleased, and she liked how her bedroom was, even if she got made fun of for the lack of colour. The walls were lined with bookshelves, full of books the charity money had bought and nobody else wanted. Her bedspread was a simple blue and she had a small oak dresser in the corner. Her favorite part was her desk, which was grand enough to be in the headmaster of Hogwarts' office, she assumed.  
  
She fingered the gold ring around her neck, thinking about what she had said downstairs. The ring was simple, with a row of rubies, on a plain gold chain. When she was left on parvulus' doorstep, it was with her. She had never taken the chain off. Suddenly, there was a knock on her door. Startled, Dawn mumbled a response, and in walked an ancient woman. Her hair was silver and her face wrinkly and stern, but her eyes were welcoming.  
  
"Hello, dear. I'm Mrs. Figg, the new owner." Dawn smiled. Finally, somebody decent.  
  
"It's nice to meet you ma'am." She responded.  
  
"I was wondering if you were okay. I have heard that you ran away last night. Why ever would you do such a thing?"  
  
"To try to find my family, but it's useless. Nobody knows who they are." She didn't know why, but Dawn trusted this woman. She felt like she knew her.  
  
"Oh, are you sure?" Mrs. Figg asked, mischief shining in her faded eyes.  
  
"What do you know?"  
  
"Oh, you are a smart one. Not that I doubted it for a moment. Yes, I know who your parents are, dear."  
  
"Are?" the woman chuckled.  
  
"Yes, are. Though I'm afraid I cannot tell you."  
  
"Oh, and why not?" the girl asked fiercely, looking rather foolish.  
  
"Because they have promised to me that they will reveal themselves sometime before your first year is over."  
  
"Why don't they want to talk to me?" Dawn asked, disappointed.  
  
"Oh, but dear they do. They have wanted to collect you since the war ended. But you see, your father had some worries. He thought that if they just showed up one day and collected you, you would hate them forever. That boy never did have an ounce of sense. Anyway, your mother always agrees with everything he said, so they decided to wait until you started at Hogwarts."  
  
"But, that doesn't make any sense at all..."  
  
"Oh, of course it doesn't. To us. Your father has always has acted irrationally. But he's always been right, so I listen." Dawn looked at the woman, wondering how someone of her age could have that much energy.  
  
"I'm sorry dear, but I must go speak to the house elves. I believe one of your friends has developed an peculiar allergy to chicken." Without so much as a backward glance, Mrs. Figg was gone. That was interesting. Very interesting.  
  
Two weeks passed in a blur, and Dawn, Lee, Miriam, and Seth (there to escort the children) were soon passing through the barrier between platforms nine and ten. The bright scarlet steam engine before them made Lee gasp, but if he had decided to read Hogwarts, a Modern History, he might not have been as surprised. Completely ignoring their esquire and peer, Lee and Miriam jumped on the train once the initial shock had worn off.  
  
"Take care of yourself kid." Seth said, squeezing Dawn tightly. He dwarfed her, but she could hug his leg at least. "I don't want to be written about troublesome little sisters." Dawn smiled. They could have been mistaken for siblings, actually, if Seth had not had dark red hair. Their mannerisms and complete disregard for rules was almost exact.  
  
"You know very well that they wouldn't write to you."  
  
"Yes, but you would. I just can't wait to hear all about all of your evil teachers. Please, though, do try to make friends. You're entirely too lonely for a little girl." The warning bell rang. "And keep me filled in on the parent front, too. I'll miss you. Maybe you can stay with me at Christmas. Bye." With one last hug, he pushed her and her luggage on the train, seconds before it started moving.  
  
Dragging her heavy trunk full of free books and supplies from the shops in Diagon Alley, Dawn walked around, looking for a compartment. Most were full of rambunctious older students, gossiping and discussing their summer vacations. Dawn noticed some of her former housemates among them. She noticed that she was one of the only students wearing her robes. Finally, she found a compartment with only a shy looking boy with light brown hair reading a book. He was wearing robes too, ones a lot more expensive-looking than hers.  
  
"Hello, do you mind if I sit here?" she asked. He shook his head without looking up at her. Dawn pulled her trunk in, took out a book, and began to read. They sat in a comfortable silence for a while, with only the sound of occasional page turning to break it, until a woman came in with the lunch trolley.  
  
"Would you like anything, dears?" she asked. They both shook their heads. The boy, who had obviously just found his way out of a good book, turned to her.  
  
"Oh how rude of me," he said in a quiet voice. "I'm Cyrus. Cyrus Lupin." She startled.  
  
"As in, Remus Lupin, the Minister of Magic?"  
  
"Yes, he's my dad."  
  
"Really?" she asked, trying to keep her cool. "I'm Dawn Spencer. What are you reading?"  
  
"Hogwarts, a Modern History."  
  
"Really?" she asked, taking out her book. "Me too. It's my favorite, even though I've read it five times."  
  
"Same here, except I've read it ten. My dad bought it for me when I was really little."  
  
"That's nice. I wish I knew my dad."  
  
"You don't? I mean, who he was."  
  
"No, I thought my parents were dead until two weeks ago when the new owner of my orphanage told me my father was just too shy to tell me who he is." She said bitterly, all in one breath.  
  
"Rough life?" he asked.  
  
"Yeah."  
  
With that said, they both began reading again and the compartment lapsed into silence. It wasn't a cold silence, or an awkward one, but rather the two felt comfortable together. They read until the train came to a stop.  
  
"By the way," Cyrus said as they stood up. "What year are you in?"  
  
"First."  
  
"Good." They stepped out of the train, and were shepherded towards a man who had to be Charlie Weasley, Arthur Weasley's son. He smiled warmly at Dawn.  
  
"Why hello there, Dawn. My father's told me all about you. Oh, and Cyrus! How ironic that you two have become close already..." a lost look appeared on his face and he seemed to forget they were there.  
  
"He reminds me of that wand man." Cyrus whispered to Dawn, who giggled. She had met Mr. Olivander when she was eight, the legal age for owning a wand (at Parvulus, they always tried their hardest to make the orphans feel special).  
  
"Anyway," Professor Weasley said, snapping out of his trance. "First years, in the boats." So, they got in, four to each. Dawn and Cyrus shared a boat with two frightened looking girls. They were obviously muggleborns. The boat ride was uneventful, even the first glance at the castle couldn't excite Dawn. She was too busy thinking about having her favorite author, Hermione Granger, as a teacher. Harry Potter, the savior of the wizarding world, would be one too. It was enough to make anybody nervous.  
  
Almost too soon, they were docking on the shore of the lake and Professor Weasley was leading them up the stone steps to Hogwarts. He knocked on the door, and none other than Professor Potter himself opened it. He was very young and had a mass of untidy black hair.  
  
"Hello," he said, smiling warmly and ushering them into the entrance hall. "Welcome to Hogwarts. I'm Professor Potter. Follow me." He led them to a small, empty chamber just off the Great hall. Once everyone was in, he spoke.  
  
"Now, I'm sure you're all excited to get sorted, but you should first know what that means. Here, there are four houses, Gryfindore, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Despite what you may have heard on your way here, all four are admirable places to be. For the next seven years, your house will be like a second family, with a lot of sibling rivalry. When you do well, your house gets points. Likewise, when you do bad, you lose them. If you play Quittich, you play for your house teams, you eat meals with your housemates, and you have classes with them too. Yes, a bit overwhelming, isn't it?  
  
"When I come back to get you, I will lead you into the great hall. There, I will call your names and you will take turns putting on the sorting hat. After the hat shouts to everyone what house you're in, you sit at the table that is cheering the most. Please, don't be afraid when it talks to you. Any questions?" He surveyed them. "Okay, I'll be right back."  
  
Immediately, chatter broke loose. Everybody was eager to talk about what he said with their friends. Dawn turned to Cyrus.  
  
"What house do you think you'll be in?" she asked. He shrugged.  
  
"My dad was in Gryfindore, my mum was in Slytherin. I'm neither brave nor cunning, so I guess they're all fair game. You?"  
  
"Oh, I think probably Ravenclaw." She answered, right before Professor Potter came back. He grinned and turned again, all of the first years following in his wake. They went through a pair of double doors and into the hall. It was wonderful, fantastic, and exactly as Hogwarts, a Revised History described it. In other words, Dawn and Cyrus didn't gasp like all of their fellow new students. They were led to the front of the hall, where an old hat was sitting on a stool. Ah, the Sorting Hat, Dawn thought as she and everyone else waited for it to begin singing. After a few minutes, a tear near the brim opened up and it did just that.  
  
Oh welcome, welcome one and all  
  
To a new year at Hogwarts This year, I know for sure You're going to have a ball  
  
From that point on, Dawn tuned the hat out. Instead, she looked behind her at the staff table. In the center was obviously Severus Snape, the infamous headmaster. It was rumored that he was rather nasty, and the rumors looked to be true. Next to him was a tall man with fair blonde hair, the same color as Dawn's. He also looked to be an unpleasant person. But next to him was Hermione Granger, who had a cheerful smile on her face. Next to her was an empty seat, and next to that a dark brown haired witch with a bored expression. Dawn would have looked more, but Professor Potter was calling names. She watched as "Abbot, Darnell" was sorted into Hufflepuff.  
  
A few more people were called. None of their sortings were the least bit interesting. Eventually, Cyrus was called. He, unlike any of the other first years, didn't look nervous at all. He went up, put the hat on, and was swiftly put in Ravenclaw. He looked quite happy about it, too. After about nine more sortings, each as boring as the next, Dawn was finally called. She walked up and put the hat on her head, and it talked to her.  
  
"Ah, so you're looking for your family. I'm sure you won't have to look far." That's nice, she thought, directing it towards the hat, but could you sort me already?  
  
"Quite the temper you have there. Hmm...let's see, yes, definitely RAVENCLAW!" Sighing with relief, Dawn stood up and joined her new friend at the table cheering loudest. After about seven kids named Weasley and one Wood later, Professor Potter took the hat out of the hall. Headmaster Snape waved his hand lazily, and the table was filled with food of all kinds. Does anybody read? Dawn thought as she filled her plate.  
  
"So, is your father really the minister of magic?" a boy with strawberry blond hair asked. Cyrus nodded.  
  
"Don't mind Dylan, he's just rude," the boy next to the first, who was identical to him, said. "I'm Chris." He held out his hand to Dawn and she shook it. Cyrus was too busy eating.  
  
"I'm Dawn Spencer. What year are you in?"  
  
"Second." He said, grinning. "So don't worry, we won't think we're better than you just because of a few years."  
  
"No, you won't, just because you're still a little sore over that fourth year turning you down last year." Dylan said. But he made up for his crudity when his brother punched him. They both broke into laughter. Cyrus looked away from his food for a moment to glance at them oddly, before continuing to feast.  
  
"So, Dawn," Chris said. "You're a Spencer?"  
  
"Not really, I was for a day though. I'm an orphan and Mr. And Mrs. Spencer didn't exactly like my attitude. I kept the name because I became very close to their son. He works at the Ministry."  
  
"Do you ever breath?" Dylan asked. Dawn liked him most, probably because of his bluntness.  
  
"Occasionally," she told him, and the twins started talking to one of their friends. Cyrus looked like he had finally eaten his fill. How can he eat so much and still be so small? He opened his mouth to speak, but the headmaster got there first.  
  
"Silence." He said silkily. "Welcome, students. A few notices before bed. The Forbidden Forest is forbidden, Quittich is only for second years and above, and I strongly suggest you read the list of banned items in the caretaker's office. I think I need not warn you that all Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes products are strictly forbidden. First years, follow your house prefects. Bed, now."  
  
There was a scraping of chairs as everyone stood. Cyrus and Dawn followed a tall boy with red hair to their common room. Dawn had no idea where it was. She, being a first year girl, was directed to a dormitory with big oak four post beds with soft blue sheets. At the end of the beds were their trunks. Without putting on pajamas, Dawn slipped into bed and fell asleep. She had had a long day. 


End file.
